Improvement in turbine water-wheels



llntll I ,gime

aient 619mm.

Leiters Patent N 96,432, dated Noz-amber 2, 1869.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom il may vconcern Bc it known that I, Devin O. HOLMAN, of Adams,

county oi'Je'erson, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and. useful Improvements in \\'atex'-\Vlicels; and I do 'hereby declare that the t'ollowing is a tull, clear, and exact description ofthe same, reference being had to the annexed drawing, and tothe letters ot' reference-.marked thereon, making a part of this speciiicatiou, in which- Figure l is a bottom view of the wheel and chuteease.

Figure 2 represents a. side view or elevation of the Sllllt.

Figure?) represents a front view ofthe mouth of the. tbrebay, showing the regulating-gate.

Figure 4 represents a. side view of the wheel and axle.

1 `igurc 5 represents a central vertical section of thil wheel andaxle.

Figure represents an .inner or bottom view of thc hub or body ofthe wheel, showing two' rings of nuts, whereby the' bolts otA the lmckcteplates are secured.

M y invention relates to. turbine-wheels, and consists, mainly, in the construction and novel arrangement of dcviccs whereby, dispensing with the lower rim or shrouding, a strong and eliicient turbine-wheel is produced.

` The letter A, of the drawings, designates the case or chute, spiral in forni, and supported by three standards, b b, which in turn rest on a. tbnndatiou-plate or bed-piece Y The regulating-gate a turns on journals c c, having bearings between the tlanches d (l, by which the n.0uth of thev forebay is bolted to the body ot'thexase.

D repre tents a small st-niiing-box for tightening the packing oi' the upper journal.

The wheel F is lowered iutoposition through a. circular opening in the top 'of the casing. It is protected by the dome-like cover E, which is secured to the casing by bolts passing through its Bauch e.

The upper 'portion of' the cover E is contracted, forming a bearing for the upper part ofthe shatt `K of the wheel.

It designates a stuling-box, the head of vwhich is hollowed to form an oil-cup.

,hc wheel F is composed of the bell-shaped body or hub G, and the buckets H H.

r1`he body Cr is keyed firmly to the shaft K, near its lower end, and, flaring upward and outward, subservesnot only thc purpose ot' a hub, but also of the upper shroudiug ot' the whccl. Thelower.shroiuling'is dispensed with altogether, its place being supplied b y thelowcr portions ot' the buckets, each ot' which is so much curved to the rear as to be nearly horizontal at its lower edge, thus closing in toward the bucket im mediatelfyI in'rear ot' it.

Descending from its connection with the upper part i or flare of the body G, each bucket curves forward to its centre, and then retreats, bending'tolthe rear, until it becomes nearly horizontal, as above stated, and the line of its lower edge tangent to thc lower bounding surface of the huh, at a point forty-tire degrees to the rear of the upper starting-point. A

Thus it appears that the plates are not attached to the body radially, but in a slanting manner. They are arranged to slant forward atan angle of about' thirty degrees, and this, coupled with the fact that the buckets are unich thicker toward the base than at the edges, makes their serpentine bases broad and' secure.

The joint is also strengtlu-ncd by the winding ofthe base ot' the bucket one-quarter ot' the distance around the body.

Each bucket is in shape triangular, its lower` edge being straight, or nearly so, its vertical or outer edge arc-shaped, and its inner edge, by which it is joined to the body (l, broad and scrl ntine'. v

lach bucket vis fastened to the'body by two bolts and nuts, one securing it near the outer edgeto the upper or Haring portion ot the body, and the other attaching it to the hub by the centre ot' its'selpentine base. t

The inner tacc of each bucket is conical, or nearly so, 'in its curve, as itl it were bounded by a portion of the surface oi'a scalcnecone, whose axis isinclined downward and inward. The bendof its buckets makes the wheel both a direct-action and reaction wheel.

lhe impact ofthe water is full, the eoncavesurface ofthe buckets being most favorably situated to receive it, on account ot' its slant of thirty degrees; and the lower portions oi' the buckctsnare so'cnrvet'l as t-o receive in the best manner the reacting iorce ot' the walter.v ln this` lower part, also, the curve ot' the bucket is such a-s'to receive the impact of the wat-er on a slant, which renders a lower shronding unnecessary.

The lower end of the shat't K ot the wheel is concave, 'or hollowcd out, and turns on the bearing-pian,

which is iixed to the upper surface ot' the adjustable gudgeou-block '1, in its barrel or seat m, attached to the bed-trame. In this manner lunch friction is avoided.

What I claim as myinveution, and desire to sel cure by Letters Patent, isl v 1. 1`hc bucket H, for turbine water-wheels, herein described,having a thick serpentine base -and thin outer edge, and constructed with the conical-shaped curve, as specified.

2. lhe tlaring or bell-shaped body G, in combination with thel curved bucket H, as described, so ar ranged as -to dispense with a lower shrouding, as Specilied. f

In, testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this speciticatiom'in the presence ot' two subscribiu witnesses. i

D. O. HOLMAN.

Witnesses:v v B. 11.` Bom', 1t. D. SCHRAM. 

